DHAKA: Brazil kick-off this month's World Cup against Costa Rica on Thursday, with most of the best on show in South America. But who are the stars earning most money?
Take a look at the top ten highest-paid players - by weekly wage at club level - who will feature in Brazil
1. Wayne Rooney
Reported Weekly Wage: £300,000
Age: 28
Club: Manchester United
Country: England
Major Sponsors: Harper Collins, Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola
Earning 50p a second, Rooney’s new, terrifyingly profitable contract assures he takes first place above his fellow superstars. Striker for a Manchester United side that underperformed last season, he still managed to become the club’s third best top scorer of all time, overtaking George Best and Ryan Giggs, and as a result, now has an enormous net worth estimated to be in excess of £60million.
Endorsements earn him a fair wedge, with lucrative deals including Nike and Electronic Arts, the computer gaming company which features Rooney on the front of its best-selling FIFA football games.
He also had his third book, ‘My Decade In The Premier League,’ published in 2012 as part of his deal with Harper Collins.
2. Lionel Messi
Reported Weekly Wage: £292,000
Age: 26
Club: Barcelona
Country: Argentina
Major sponsors: Adidas, Turkish Airlines, PepsiCo, Herbalife, EA Sports, Dolce & Gabanna, Adidas, Gillette
Okay, we kind of cheated by putting Rooney first, because the £300,000 a week figure is before tax.
Messi’s contract, signed last year, sees him earn a reported £292,000 AFTER tax in Spain
He is often regarded as the best footballer in the world - although he lost the Ballon d’Or crown to Cristiano Ronaldo this season - so it is apt he is paid accordingly. His accolades, just like his salary, are certainly not in short supply.
He broke the 39-year record for most goals in a European club season in 2012 when he finished the season with 73 goals and has won the Ballon d’Or a whopping three times. He is also a three-time winner of FIFA Player of the Year and became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match.
In addition to his gargantuan salary, Messi makes millions more every year from endorsements, the biggest of which is Adidas, who launched his 'icon signature' line in 2013.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Reported Weekly Wage: £288,000
Age: 29
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Portugal
Major sponsors: Nike, Coca-Cola, Castrol, Konami, Motorola, Herbalife, KFC, Tag Heuer, Fly Emirates, Emporio Armani
Ronaldo is reported to earn £288,000 after tax, in a deal similar to his La Liga rival Messi. He is currently reported to be in contract extension talks with Real Madrid, so he could see himself rocketed to the highest paid footballer once again soon. Importantly, he also owns a 50-50 share of his image rights.
His popularity on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have translated into big bucks from sponsors like Nike, Castrol and Konami, all of which he promotes through his own social media accounts.
Not content with monopolising the advertising world, Ronaldo also launched himself into the fashion industry as the ‘spokesmodel’ for Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans in 2009.
In March, a 'Rich List' compiled by Goal.com was topped by Ronaldo, with an estimated net worth of around £122million.
4. Robin Van Persie
Reported Weekly Wage: £250,000
Age: 30
Club: Manchester United
Country: Holland
Major Sponsors: Nike, Adidas, BT Sport, Pepsi
With many an achievement to his name, including PFA Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year, it’s no wonder Van Persie left Arsenal to chase for club honours.
Born in Rotterdam, Van Persie is currently the all-time top scorer for Holland. He is also one of world football's top earners. He has been part of major commercial campaigns for huge corporate brands, including Nike, BT Sport and Pepsi, all of which have rendered a tidy sum for the Dutchman
5. Yaya Touré
Reported Weekly Wage: £230,000
Age: 31
Club: Manchester City
Country: Ivory Coast
Major Sponsors: Puma, Ford
With a four-year contract that pays him over £10million a year, there is no surprise that Touré is among the top earners on the pitch. The Ivorian midfielder has had a distinguished international career with 82 caps for the Ivory Coast, representing the team in their first appearance in a World Cup in 2006 and again in 2010. Touré has won the African Footballer of the Year for the last three consecutive years.
In addition to his rewarding salary, he also signed an endorsement deal with Puma that includes distributing the brand’s gear to underprivileged African children.
He is one of the only non-strikers on the list - but despite this, was third top scorer in the Premiership last season chipping in with 20 goals for Manchester City helping them win the title. His future at the club is in doubt however because of a falling-out over a birthday cake.
6. Sergio Aguero
Reported Weekly Wage: £220,000
Age: 26
Club: Manchester City
Country: Argentina
Major sponsors: Puma, Pepsi
Multiple leg injuries have resulted in a bit of a stop-start career for Manchester City so far for the Argentine, nicknamed ‘Kun’.
However, this has not hindered his relationship with the club who, in May 2013, agreed to give him a contract extension and salary increase that not only keeps him with the club until 2017 but also makes him one of the highest paid football players in the world.
7. Luis Suarez
Reported Weekly Wage: £220,000
Age: 27
Club: Liverpool
Country: Uruguay
Major Sponsors: Adidas
Despite Suarez’s turbulent tenure with Liverpool, involving multiple suspensions and an attempted escape to Arsenal, he enhanced his reputation as a world-class footballer last season forming a deadly partnership with Englishman Daniel Sturridge and in turn, earns one of the highest salaries of the Premier League.
As Uruguay’s all-time leading goal scorer with 39 for the national team, Suarez commands the top wage at Liverpool after he was rewarded with a new contract in December.
He was seen as a national hero when he helped lead his country to a fourth place finish in the 2010 World Cup after blocking a goal bound header from Ghana in the quarter final with his hands. He was sent off, but Ghana missed the penalty and Uruguay went on to go through to the next round.
8. David Silva
Reported Weekly Wage: £200,000
Age: 28
Club: Manchester City
Country: Spain
Major sponsors: Adidas
Nicknamed ‘Merlin’ for his wizard-like passing abilities, Silva signed a five-year contract to make up a reported £200,000 a week playing for Manchester City. Since joining the club, the Spanish midfielder has appeared in over 150 games in three seasons, winning the FA Cup, Football League Cup and Premier League.
He is famously described by his sponsor Adidas as a ‘new brand of player’ with surgical precision and a brain for strategy. Could he fire Spain to a second consecutive World Cup win?
9. Eden Hazard
Reported Weekly Wage: £185,000
Age: 23
Club: Chelsea
Country: Belgium
Major sponsors: Nike
Currently regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, even compared to the likes of Zidane, it's not hard for Chelsea to rationalise spending a reported £185,000 a week on the Belgian. With rumours circling that Hazard is a target for Paris St Germain, the Blues have said they are prepared to pay the big bucks to keep hold of him – so he could race up this list in the near future.
Although approached by Adidas, Hazard has remained loyal to his long-term sponsors Nike, with a renewed endorsement contract that is said to make him one of their leading football faces along with Ronaldo, Rooney, Neymar and Ibrahimovic.
10. Fernando Torres
Reported Weekly Wage: £175,000
Age: 30
Club: Chelsea
Country: Spain
Sponsorship: Adidas, Pepsi, Aviva,
Despite his outrageously large salary, all that glitters is not gold - throughout his time at the club, Torres has been a disappointment for Chelsea with many a second-rate performance.
It's a far cry from the prolific period he spent at Liverpool, where he became the fastest player in the club's history to score 50 league goals, but something hasn't clicked since his £50million move to the West London club in 2011.
In spite of this, he has been capped over 100 times for his country and is Spain’s third-highest goalscorer of all time.
He also has a couple of high profile endorsement deals with Adidas and Pepsi, as well as a few domestic Spanish brands, boosting his income.
Source: Daily Mail
BDST: 2040 HRS, JUN 11, 2014
